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DMK MLA files petition against Vanniyar reservation bill

By
The Commune
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A DMK MLA has filed a petition at the Madras High Court in opposition of the Vanniyar reservation bill that was recently put forth in the State Assembly, calling it a tool for vote bank politics. This was filed in the name of the youth wing of the Isai Vellalar Peravai (IVP).

The decision to file the said petition was made in the recent meeting of the IVP that took place in Trichy. This was headed by KR Guhesh, the founder of this movement. Speaking to the press, Guhesh had said, “Isai Vellalar Community comprises of about 3% of the Tamil Nadu population, and was included in the MBC category back in 1989 when M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister. In light of the same, it is unfair that the Vanniyar community should enjoy over 10.5% of the existing 20% reservation that is already granted by the constitution. Since this decision was taken without consulting the other backward communities, we are going to take this to the court.”

He went on to say that the HR&CE department must make sure that they are to employ the musicians who have been traditionally playing at temple functions in a permanent job at the respective temples and that they should belong to the Isai Vellalar community. This was also one of the demand put forth.

This meeting was attended by prominent faces from the DMK like K Nityanandam, who was the personal assistant to the late M Karunanidhi, MLA Anbil Mahesh Poiyyamozhi, who is the south zone head of DMK in Trichy. The case that was thus filed was done so in the name of this MLA, along with Guhesh.

In light of this, Maaveeran Manjal Padai, the Vanniyar outfit started by Kanalarasan, the son late PMK leader ‘Kaduvetti’ Guru, has condemned the action of the party. It is noteworthy to mention that the outfit had earlier expressed support to the DMK.

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Hawkers encroach and cause nuisance at Rameswaram temple

By
The Commune
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Devotees going for a holy bath at the Rameshwaram temple suffer from a lack of space to walk through the shops that occupy the sidewalk. The main purpose of visiting the Rameswaram Shrine is to bathe in the 23 holy theerthams there. Thanks to the encroachment, devotees find it difficult to wade through and take a dip in the holy wells.

There has been strong opposition in the past when the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department tried to relocate the theerthams in the Rameswaram temple, which is under their control, citing ‘maintenance issues’.

The latest controversy that has arisen there is that it is currently inconvenient for the devotees as shops have been set up occupying the way for the devotees to bathe. The temple administration removed the shops on the east and south rath streets of the temple a few years ago as devotees had to wait in long queues to bathe in the 22 theerthams in the temple after bathing in the Agni Tirtham, which is in the sea.

A roof was later erected to accommodate the devotees waiting in line on these streets. Then, in 2019, devotees were allowed to bathe by entering through the North Rath Street’s entrance of the temple. People are now accusing the shopkeepers of setting up a tent and occupying the sidewalk on the North Rath Street’s sidewalk as it was easier for the devotees to enter this way.

This has made it difficult for devotees to stand in long queues as the way to theerthams is blocked. Devotees have demanded that the shops be moved to avoid congestion due to overcrowding on important festival days like the Amavasai. It is noteworthy that the Highways Department had laid tiles on this path for the convenience of the devotees.

The temple staff is said to have asked the Highways department to take action to remove the shops. Social activists have demanded that the HR&CE Department and the Highways Department should take action to alleviate the inconvenience to the devotees by removing the occupation responsibly without pointing fingers at each other.

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Uber to include ‘public transport’ as one of the modes on their app

By
The Commune
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Uber is all set to include a ‘public transport’ tab on their app in partnership with the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). This has come after their partnerships with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL).

Using this tab, users can now view the timings of the metro, the fastest routes and the corresponding fares using the Uber app. This also features an overview of the city’s bus services and the shortest routes to get about using the same.

This initiative has been taken under Uber’s mission to make all rides on its platform 100 per cent emission-free by 2040 through zero-emission vehicles and the integration of public transport and micro-mobility, the company’s statement said. Users have the option of customizing each journey by choosing preferred modes of transit and route including choosing ridesharing options to help with first/last-mile connectivity, the release went on to say.

“We believe the future of urban transportation is all about the seamless integration of public transit systems and shared mobility solutions. This enables efficient commute options, saves riders time and money, improves the city’s productivity and helps build smarter and more sustainable cities,” added Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India and South Asia, in a statement to the press.

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Volcanic Mount Sinabung’s ash eruption spells trouble for inhabitants of Indonesia

By
The Commune
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Volcanic Mount Sinabung erupted into an ash explosion on Tuesday, spewing a humongous cloud of ash that was visible from several kilometres away. Ash clouds that were a high as 5km were emitted from the mountain, and has received the second-highest level threat.

Videos on social media showed panicked residents over the eruption, which sent a column of white ash into the blue sky. This caused the officials to investigate, and they issued an alert for people within 3-4 km of the volcano to vacate immediately. Notably, there were no casualties reported due to this incident.

This is its first big eruption since August last year when the ash from the explosion had covered three districts and turned the sky dark. This volcano has been under the radar of the country’s volcanology department for quite some time. Sinabung had been inactive for centuries before it erupted again in 2010. Another eruptive phase for the volcano began in September 2013, which continued uninterrupted until June 2018, according to information maintained by the National Museum of Natural History’s Global Volcanism Program.

Indonesia is dubbed as the “Pacific ring of fire” with nearly 130 active volcanoes, more than any other country. This island country has been placed under alerts for natural calamity for decades, due to its tendency to be attacked by tsunamis and volcanic eruptions every once in few years.

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Jerome Anto appointed as head of ‘Spotlight’ fame organization SNAP dealing with clergy sex abuse

By
The Commune
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Jerome Anto has been appointed as the head of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), an organization that works towards exposing and aiding those who have been subject to clergy sex abuse. He comes from a Roman Catholic background, which is currently the largest denomination in India.

Jerome has been an active face in the Catholic Church community right from childhood. He has progressed from an altar boy to a youth leader, and currently works on issues that hamper the unity and integrity of India on a larger platform. He has been a very vocal advocate in the media and has appeared in several web-based interviews in recent years.

SNAP offers peer support services and information to victims in India who may benefit from this resource and are aiming to potentially grow their network by means of Jerome’s network that is well established in India.

Clergy strength in India is almost 5 times higher than in any other part of the globe, and this expansive clergy presence creates ample opportunity for abuse and cover-up in India. By roping in Jerome as a part of this cause, the organization aims to bring out unreported crimes that are regularly being committed by the clergy but have been suppressed due to the political support and the enormous power that the Church enjoys.

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After inaction by Andhra officials, LRPF seeks urgent intervention from Centre to undo land encroachment by Evangelists

By
The Commune
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edlapadu cross

Andhra Pradesh, which has in recent months seen a spate of attacks on Hindu temples, is now facing a new onslaught in a full-blown attempt to erode the region’s Hindu culture and traditions. Much like the Roman Emperor Constantine, it is being alleged, the state government and the bureaucrats under YS Jagan Reddy are pushing for a total Christianisation of the state.

Inaction by Andhra Pradesh government officials forced the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) to write to the Centre on Tuesday, March 2, asking for immediate action against the illegal construction of a church and the erection of a cross. Both structures are built on encroached land.

“The said construction of the illegal Church started a few months back and was noticed by villagers who made formal complaints with the Mandal Revenue Officer on 05-01-2021. As there is no response from Mandal Revenue Officer, locals wrote to Revenue Divisional Officer, District Collector, Principal Secretary (Mining) and Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh on 12-01-2021 seeking action in this matter but there is no response till date”, the letter, a copy of which is with The Commune, states.

“The intentional inaction of the concerned public authorities has led to the state where they had installed a huge metal cross of nearly 2.5 tons weight on the top of the mining hill. It shows the utter irresponsibility and negligence of the concerned officials and moreover raising doubt among the public that they got compromised with Christian organization”, the letter adds.

Illegal construction going on for weeks, no action taken by AP officials

Christian Evangelists, in recent weeks, erected a huge cross and illegally constructed a church by encroaching the land on a hill at Edlapadu in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. Complaints seeking a halt to the illegal construction were filed with the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) Srinivas on 5 January. However, no action was taken. Instead, the MRO told the complainant that he was getting calls from “the Home Minister”.

Locals and activists associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party formally filed formal complaints on 12 January with the Revenue Divisional Officer, the District Collector, the Principal Secretary (Andhra Pradesh Department of Mines) and the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh and sought action against encroachment of the mining hill. There has been no response to their complaint till date.

The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has alleged that the inaction seen in the Andhra Pradesh government officials is deliberate.

Christian Evangelists now have complete control over large tracts of land in the area. They allegedly plan to build malls and commercialise the entire area, which is adjacent to a National Highway, cashing in on prime real estate.

‘No unauthorised construction of any religious institutions on public space’, says 2009 SC order

The LRPF, on Tuesday March 2, finally wrote to Prahlad Joshi, Union Minister of Mines, detailing the facts of the case so far. The letter pointed out that according to the Supreme Court order (Special Leave to Appeal (Civil)No:8519/2006 dated 29-09-2009), “no unauthorized construction of any religious institutions namely Temple, Church, Mosque or Gurudwar, etc., shall be permitted on Public Street/Public Space”.

“The above said act of encroaching public land and constructing religious structure comes under the contempt of Supreme Court, which is a serious crime. In the view of the above circumstances, we request your good office to intervene in this matter and take immediate action”, the letter states.

The letter asks the Centre to:

1. Remove the illegal structures constructed at the encroached site

2. Impose penalty on the Church Organization who committed this crime

3. Order a departmental enquiry and take action against concerned public authorities who intentionally ignored this huge illegality even after making several complaints

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After US, now Japan asks China to stop taking anal swab of its citizens for COVID-19 test

By
The Commune
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anal swab
Featured Image: Representational Image | Credit: Alvaro Medina Jurado/Getty Images

Japan has warned China that it will not tolerate China taking anal swab tests for coronavirus on its citizens upon their entrance to the country, reports Wion.

“Some Japanese reported to our embassy in China that they received anal swab tests, which caused great psychological pain,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said.

China started carrying out anal swab tests in January. Reports suggest that US diplomats had to undergo such tests as well. According to a spokesperson for the US Department of State, the United States had received assurances from China that the tests were done in error and that diplomatic personnel were exempt from this specific testing requirement.

However, Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a news conference Thursday, said that he had checked with his colleagues and as far as he knew, “China has never asked U.S. diplomats stationed in China to have anal swab tests.”

More efficient?

The procedure to perform these tests involves a 3-5 cm (1.2-2.0 inches) cotton swab inserted into the anus and gently rotated to get the sample from within, which is then tested for the deadly coronavirus.

These swab tests are undignified and humiliating in nature. Reportedly, the tests were performed on Japanese citizens who were already quarantined or those who were entering China. The Japanese authorities also said that this strange swab test “has not been confirmed anywhere else in the world”.

According to China, anal swab tests “increase the detection rate of infected people”. But experts believe these anal swab tests are less efficient than the swab tests from the upper respiratory tracts as most people contract the coronavirus orally.

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Wild elephant waiting for sugarcane lorry in Satyamangalam causes havoc to passersby

By
The Commune
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wild elephant

Motorists and lorry drivers were thoroughly shaken by a wild elephant waiting for a sugarcane lorry at the Karappallam check post next to Sathyamangalam. This has caused them to think twice before venturing into the area.

Elephants are abundant in the Asanur forest next to Satyamangalam. They often cross the road on the Asanur Road area, which is the main route between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, in search of fodder and water. Some elephants wander on the road waiting for sugarcane trucks, as the lorries loaded with sugarcane from Karnataka pass by on this route. The elephants have become accustomed to eating the pieces of sugarcane thrown on the road due to the heavy load. One of the lone elephants has been found coming to the Karapallam check post every day, waiting for the trucks bearing the sweet treat.

Due to this, motorists and lorry drivers venture in fear as the elephant stands near the barrier wire set up to control the truck loading. The tusker has now gotten accustomed to looking at vehicles and stands still without bothering the passersby. Motorists, however, move with fear. The male elephant that arrived at the checkpoint on Monday had been waiting for a long time for the cane truck. Motorists who saw the elephant stopped. Forest rangers then advised motorists to continue as the elephant was standing without causing any disturbance.

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Harsh Mander may have diverted funds from charities towards anti-CAA protests, alleges NCPCR

By
The Commune
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Harsh Mander

Former civil servant and professional agitator Harsh Mander received foreign funding for his charities, which he later diverted to fund the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), alleges India’s federal child rights watchdog.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has called upon the Indian government to start an inquiry into the foreign links of this so-called human rights activist.

According to a report by the Russian news website Sputniknews, Mander runs a social justice think-tank called the Centre for Equity Studies, and two children’s shelter homes. The report states that the NCPCR has alleged that Mander has concealed his multiple sources of funding through several private investors.

In 2020, The Commune had reported that according to the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), Mander’s Centre for Equity Studies (CES) received crores of rupees worth of funding from European Catholics and US-based Islamist organisations. 

“It is recommended that the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police, which is a specialised investigative agency in such matters, may examine the multiple sources of funding being given to these Homes and the use of the same. The accounts of these homes need to be audited and investigated for the above-mentioned financial irregularities”, states the NCPCR report, a copy of which has been seen by Sputnik.

The most serious accusations levelled by the NCPCR are that the money meant for two children’s shelters ― Khushi Rainbow Home for girls and the Ummeed Aman Ghar for boys ― was allegedly diverted to fund anti-India entities. What is more shocking is that there are claims that minors from these facilities were forced to participate in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

“During our investigation, we met several residents at these shelters who told us that they were sent to protest against the CAA last year and asked to chant anti-government slogans”, a senior NCPRC official claimed. “After reading the documents received from the organisation, the Commission discovered that besides the parent organisation – the Centre for Equity Studies – there were several other sources of funding for these two homes, including from other private organisations and the state government,” the report by the NCPCR says.

Earlier in January 2021, there were reports of the children living in these homes being subject to sexual harassment. 

The investigation by the NCPCR has revealed that controversial global charity Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), headquartered in Amman, Jordan and a charity registered at the Canadian High Commission’s address in New Delhi, regularly funded the two shelters through its “Dil Se” Campaign.

IRW is blacklisted in countries such as Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bangladesh due to the serious allegations that the organisation was illegally directing its funds to disseminate Islamist propaganda.

The UAE government in 2014 placed this Jordan-based charity on a list of proscribed organisations over alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement also declared a terrorist outfit by Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. However, these charges have been denied by IRW.

However, Harsh Mander has called all these accusations that are levelled against him as a witch hunt. He has said that the government was using one more of its agencies, the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), to advance its campaign against the peaceful protesters and dissenters, to defame him.

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BJP’s CT Ravi slams Rahul Gandhi, calls him a ‘runaway MP’

By
The Commune
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CT Ravi Rahul Gandhi

A day after Rahul Gandhi called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “formidable enemy”, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary CT Ravi on Monday hit out at the Congress leader and called him a “runaway MP”.

In an open letter to the Wayanad MP, a copy of which was shared on microblogging site Twitter, CT Ravi said, “You have termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a ‘formidable enemy’, and have said that “we have defeated much enemy bigger than this”. Let me tell you something using simple words. PM Narendra Modi or the BJP have never treated you as an enemy. You are nothing more than our political opponent and I sincerely hope you understand this plain truth.”

“Our “formidable enemy” is anyone working against the interests of Bharata Mata. We  treat Her enemies, be it internal or external as “formidable enemy” “, the letter said.

CT Ravi, in his open letter, also asked the Wayanad MP how his “election holidays” were going, and asked if he was enjoying them. “You failed to prove your worth as a MP of Amethi. You ran away to Wayanad and won due to communal polarization of votes”, said the letter.

Attacking Jawaharlal Nehru, CT Ravi asked Rahul Gandhi, “For personal glory, your great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru created the Kashmir mess by bringing in Article 370. Thousands of our soldiers were martyred and lakhs of our Kashmiri Pandits suffered due  to his Sin. Did he defeat the “bigger enemy”, his personal ego? ”

“By failing to see through the cunning moves of China, Nehru created the Himalayan Blunder by surrendering our land in 1962. Did he defeat the “bigger enemy”, his blind faith in Chinese?”, the letter further stated.

Taking a dig at the Congress’ brush with authoritarianism, Ravi asked, “To remain in power your grandmother Indira Gandhi destroyed the Constitution by imposing emergency in 1975. Did she defeat the “bigger enemy”,  her lust for power?”

“In order to split Sikh votes and weaken the Akali Dal, your grandma Indira propped up Bhindranwale. This ill-concerived move not only created a nightmare called khalistan, but also resulted in her own assassination. Did Indira defeat the “bigger enemy”, her political weakness?”, the letter said.

In his letter, Ravi also alleged that Rajiv Gandhi was responsible for the Sikh genocide an termed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a “puppet Prime Minister” under Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

Furthermore, the Nehru-Gandhi family “destroyed the development of the Nation for seven decades” by “creating and nurturing the Frankenstein monster called Corruption”, CT Ravi alleged. He then accused the Congress’ First Family of being the “formidable enemy” of India’s growth and progress. He also pointed out the flip-flop in the Congress’ position regarding the sport of jallikattu.

Posing several questions, Ravi finally reminded Rahul Gandhi that jealousy would ultimately result in his own destruction.

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TheCommune
The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
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